Chocolate Silk Pie

Please visit my new website, Make It and Bake It with Beth, for the recipe for Chocolate Silk Pie!

Baked Hot Chocolate

What do you do when there is close to 3-feet of snow on the ground and you really do not feel like doing much at all? If you are anything at all like me, you do things like catch up on reading, dance and color with your toddler, think about getting dressed in something other than sweats (but never do), bake, and eat lots of food. I finished up the container of hot chocolate that I made on Friday, and instead of making some more (especially since we are a bit low on milk), I made this amazing baked hot chocolate instead. It is made with rich semisweet chocolate, butter, eggs, and sugar - that's it. Since Greg is not feeling too well he decided not to have one of the two mugs of this deliciousness that I made, so I got to eat both over the past 24 hours. I did share a little with Wendy, and she was pretty crazy about it, as she yelled "more, more" after every bite I gave her. I am pretty sure you will also love baked hot chocolate. It has a thin layer of crunchy, a middle layer of smooth, and you will not stop eating it until you reach the bottom. It is kind of like a cross between a chocolate lava cake, chocolate pudding, and hot chocolate! I found out that tomorrow is another snow day for me, so more baked hot chocolate making and eating is at the top of my to do list! I might even put on some jeans, too. Enjoy!

Recipe for Baked Hot Chocolate

INGREDIENTS: 
5 ounces of semisweet baking chocolate, finely chopped (I used SCHARRFEN BERGER 62% baking bar)
3 1/2 Tbsp. of unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

SNOW DAY + BAKED HOT CHOCOLATE = HAPPINESS

2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 Tbsp. of pure cane sugar (or granulated)
A pinch of cinnamon (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Position the oven rack to the middle and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put two 8-ounce oven-proof mugs or ramekins into a baking pan or roasting pan.

Put an inch of water in the bottom pan of a double boiler and set over medium high heat. Bring to a gentle simmer. Put the chopped chocolate and butter in the top pan of the double boiler and set over the simmering water, stirring until fully melted and smooth. Set aside. Leave the bottom pan with the water on the stovetop and continue to let it simmer.

Put the eggs, sugar, and cinnamon in a small saucepan and whisk together with a fork. Then use the handle of the saucepan to hold it over the simmering water for a few minutes or until warm, almost hot to the touch(I just literally held it over the steam from the water - it's a good workout...). Then use a hand mixer set on medium-high speed to beat the egg and sugar mixture until light and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture, making sure that there is no water from condensation on the bottom of the pan that drips in (I used a towel to wipe the bottom of the pan before I added to chocolate mixture). Use a spoon to gently fold the eggs and chocolate together until smooth and you don't see any streaks. Pour or ladle into the mugs or ramekins. Pour very hot water into the baking dish, being careful not to let water splash into the mugs, until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the mugs. VERY carefully transfer the pan to the oven. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the tops are no longer shiny. Remove from oven, use a hot pad holder to remove the mugs out of the water, and place mugs on a cooling rack for a few minutes before serving. I topped mine with plain cream and some chocolate chips. I am sure it would be amazing with some fresh whipped cream too!

Baked hot chocolate is best enjoyed hot (in my professional opinion), but it can be also eaten at room temperature. You can cover well with foil and store in the fridge for up to one day. To reheat, first let it come to room temperature and then bake at 350 for 5 - 8 minutes.

Recipe Adapted from: The Essence of Chocolate Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolate
Recipe serves 2. 

A shot of our home in the snow!

Warm and Gooey Chocolate Cake

I believe that our New Year's resolutions for eating healthy should begin at the start of a Monday, so this is your official permission to go ahead and eat whatever you want through the end of this weekend. I am recommending that this chocolate cake be a part of your weekend festivities.

This recipe comes from the Fearless Baker cookbook, which was a Christmas present from my older sister this year. I had quickly scanned the cookbook to find recipes that looked good to me, and the warm and gooey chocolate cake definitely stood out as something that I needed to try. I celebrated my 25th birthday (again, can you believe it) on the 29th of December, and I knew that if I wanted to eat birthday cake on my birthday that I would have to make my own cake. I looked over the recipes I  had marked in the cookbook and the only one that I could make with the ingredients that I had on hand in my kitchen was the warm and gooey chocolate cake. While Wendy napped,  I made the cake. Luckily it was really easy to make and it did not take long to bake, because she did not grant me with the birthday present that I wanted from her (a super long nap). I was able to finish the cake, and then Wendy and I headed up to my parents' place in Columbia with the cake in tow. Greg met me up there after finishing his work day so he could treat me to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, the Tomato Palace. Although we could have gotten a tiramisu on the house, we decided to pass it up and we headed back to my parents' place to dig into the chocolate cake. Everyone in the family had a piece of the cake, and it was a major hit all around. I do not want to downplay this cake, so I will tell you that it was absolutely heavenly. Although it was totally amazing on its own, it was brought to a ridiculous level when topped with fresh whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and strawberries.

The nice thing about this cake (besides it being the best thing on this planet) is that it is super easy to make, and it can be made in under 45 minutes. Chocolate is the shining star in this cake, as it should always be. If you are a chocoholic like I am, you will definitely fall head over heels in love with this warm and gooey chocolate cake. Enjoy!

*I have made this 2 times and still haven't taken the time to take a really good picture. I will surely be making it again soon, so if it isn't devoured before I get a fresh picture, I will probably be replacing the one that is in this posting. I just was really eager to share the recipe with YOU!

Recipe for Warm and Gooey Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS
6 ounces of dark chocolate, 58% - 62% cacao (I used Scharrfen Berger semisweet 62% cacao baking chocolate), chopped into 1-inch pieces
8 Tbsp. of unsalted butter, divided
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. of pure cane sugar (or granulated sugar), divided
3 eggs
Large pinch of kosher salt
2 Tbsp. of unbleached all-purpose flour

For topping
Fresh whipped cream
Chocolate Sauce
Strawberries or raspberries

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare an 8 x 8 round metal cake pan. Use 1/2 Tbsp. of the unsalted butter to generously butter the bottom and sides of the pan (you may not use all of the butter). Then add 1 Tbsp. of the sugar to the pan and coat the bottom and sides by shaking and tapping the pan over the kitchen sink. Add another tablespoon of sugar to the pan and repeat until the pan is coated with sugar. Find a larger baking dish that will allow the round 8 x 8 pan to fit inside of it (you will use it during the baking process). Set aside.
Put an inch of water in the bottom pan of a double boiler and bring it to a simmer over medium high heat. Put the chocolate and the remaining 7 1/2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in the top pan of the double boiler and set it over the pan with the simmering water. Stir, almost constantly, until the butter is melted and the chocolate is smooth. Remove the pan with the chocolate from the heat and set aside.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, use a fork to whisk together the eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, and kosher salt until well blended. Pour the chocolate mixture into the mixing bowl and mix well. Add in the flour and stir until just blended.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Set the pan into the larger baking dish. Fill a 2-cup liquid measuring cup with hot water from tap. Pour the water into the larger baking dish until it comes halfway up the sides of the pan with the chocolate batter in it, being sure to be careful so water does not splash into the batter. Then very carefully transfer to the oven. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick or tins of a fork are inserted into the cake and it comes out a bit fudgey. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then lift the cake pan out of the pan with the water.
Cut into 8 slices and serve immediately, or cover with foil and keep at room temperature for up to 24 hours. If you don't serve right away, reheat in oven at 325 degrees for five to ten minutes, being careful not to heat for too long.
Serve each slice with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and berries (or if you have to choose just one, do the fresh whipped cream)!

Recipe makes 8 servings
Recipe Adapted from: Fearless Baker Cookbook 

Ghiradelli Peppermint Bark Ice Cream

Merry Christmas from Annapolis, Maryland, where the weather is 60 degrees and rainy! It really is strange having spring (almost summer) like weather during the holidays. A couple months ago I heard that the Maryland area was going to have a very snowy winter, but I am not so sure if I can believe it. If the cold does hit, it will be quite a shock to the system. Enough about the weather...let me tell you about this ice cream! I have been obsessed with Peppermint Bark the past few weeks. Amazon had a 21 ounce bag of both milk chocolate and dark chocolate Ghiradelli peppermint bark squares for 14 dollars, which is a great deal that I could not pass up. I have been snacking on the candies, giving some out in baggies with Christmas gifts, and using it for this peppermint bark ice cream. I love it. You can grind up the peppermint bark as finely as you want, or you can make it more chunky, all depending on how much crunchy texture you like in your ice cream. If you don't like chunky, I suggest you chop it up very finely and omit the mini chocolate chips from the recipe. I had been thinking of making pie for dessert after our Christmas dinner, but because the weather is so warm, I decided to go with this festive ice cream instead. Hope you and yours are having a wonderful Christmas and best wishes for 2016! Enjoy.

Recipe for Ghiradelli Peppermint Bark Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup of whole milk
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1 - 2 drops of pure peppermint extract (peppermint is VERY overpowering, so seriously just do a drop or two unless you want a strong peppermint flavor)
2 ounces - about 5 candies - of Ghirardelli peppermint bark squares (or your favorite brand)
1 - 2 Tbsp. of semisweet mini chocolate chips (optional - don't use if you don't like chunky texture in ice cream)

DIRECTIONS:
In a metal bowl, mix together the heavy whipping cream, whole milk, sugar, pure vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until smooth. Cover with a lid and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together, stirring occasionally. Put the bowl in the refrigerator and chill for 3 - 9 hours (I let it sit overnight and then made the ice cream the next morning).

Right before making the ice cream, place the peppermint bark candies into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the candies are chopped to desired consistency.

Make the ice cream. Give the mixture a stir and then pour into the bowl of an automatic ice cream maker. When it resembles the consistency of a thick whipped cream, pour in the peppermint candies and chocolate chips. Continue to mix until ice cream is finished. Put into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for several hours. Serve each bowl with an extra peppermint bark candy.

Recipe Inspired by: Williams Sonoma Ice Cream - Crushed Peppermint Ice Cream
Recipe makes approximately 3 - 4 servings. 

Outrageous Brownie Truffles

Please visit my new blog, Make It and Bake It with Beth, for the brownie truffles recipe.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies (No Flour, Butter, Sugar, or Egg)!

Yesterday I posted a recipe for pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that do not have any flour or refined sugar in them. I like them so much, that I have been making them quite often during the past couple weeks. When I set out to make them on Thursday evening, I realized that I did not have any eggs on hand. I decided to try the recipe without egg to see how they would turn out. I used Greek yogurt in place of the egg, added cocoa powder, and left the butter out of this recipe. I created an entirely different cookie, one that is even healthier than the other cookies, but they taste more decadent because of the cocoa powder. I just made another batch this morning while Wendy was eating breakfast. They are seriously so easy to make and can be made in less than 20 minutes from start to finish. If you are looking for a healthier type of treat for your kids or even yourself, try out these cookies. You can feed them to your gluten-free/egg-free/refined sugar-free friends and family members too! Enjoy.

Recipe for Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies (No Flour, Butter, Sugar, or Egg)!

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup of canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup of full-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of half and half (or whole milk or 2% milk)
1/2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup of old-fashioned oats (such as Quaker)
2 1/2 Tbsp. of cocoa powder (my favorite is organic Viva Labs cacao powder or Ghirardelli)
1/4 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. of ground cinnamon
1 tsp. of baking powder
1/3  - 1/2 cup of mini semisweet chocolate chips - just your preference on how many you want to use (I like Ghirardelli)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a baking sheet (I used butter to grease mine).

In a medium-sized bowl, add in the pumpkin, yogurt, honey, half and half, and vanilla. Use a spoon and mix well.

In a smallish bowl, sift together the oats, cocoa powder, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add to the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Use a 1-tablespoon cookie dough scoop to scoop up dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes. Then carefully transfer to a wire rack.

Eat warm or store an in airtight container in the fridge and grab them for an easy breakfast or snack!

Recipe makes 1 - 1 1/4 dozen cookies.

Each cookie has 77 calories, 12.5 grams carbohydrates, 1.3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, less than 3 grams of fat, and almost 20% of your daily Vitamin A need. 

Original recipe.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (No Flour or Refined Sugar)!

There is no way that I am going to let the month of October pass by without posting at lease ONE pumpkin treat recipe. I am really thinking hard about making a pumpkin pie soon with swirled dark chocolate. I seriously think pumpkin and chocolate go really well together, but you don't really hear of chocolate pumpkin pies too often, and I think that needs to change. Another thing that you don't hear about too often is cookie recipes that do not have any flour or sugar in them. I have only made one other cookie before without flour and sugar, and that is the banana oatmeal cookie recipe which is very popular. I have been trying to refrain from the flour and sugar duo (or culprit) this month thanks to a friends crazy social media challenge, so when I am craving sweet, I have been trying to do things that are healthier. I searched for pumpkin oatmeal cookies on the web and couldn't find any without flour. I decided to try out my luck by altering a recipe I found for pumpkin oatmeal cookies by omitting the flour and sugar from the recipe. The cookies are sweetened with pure maple syrup. You can also use organic cane sugar in the recipe if you don't have pure maple syrup. I was totally happy with how these cookies turned out. Wendy, my 18-month old, has been enjoying these pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for breakfast (okay I will admit I have been eating them for breakfast too). She (we) gobbles them down very quickly, and it usually takes her a long time to finish anything she is eating. I think they are an okay thing for her to eat because they are loaded with Vitamin A from the pumpkin and there is some fiber from the oats. Each cookie has 105 calories, 4 grams of fat, over 20% of your daily Vitamin A need, 2 grams of protein, 11 carbs (9.9 net carbs with 1.1 gram of fiber), and some iron and potassium.  The recipe I'm sharing today makes one dozen cookies. They are great warm from the oven, and they are also really good chilled from the fridge. Enjoy!

*I actually ended up making a pumpkin chocolate-chocolate chip cookie recipe yesterday which doesn't have any flour, sugar, or egg! I'll post that recipe soon.

Recipe for Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (No Flour or Refined Sugar)!

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup of canned pumpkin
3 Tbsp. of pure maple syrup (or 3 Tbsp. of organic cane sugar, if you want to use sugar)
1 jumbo-sized egg or two small eggs
3 Tbsp. of heavy whipping cream, half and half, or whole milk
3/4 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. of unsalted butter, melted in microwave 
1 cup of old-fashioned oats (such as Quaker Oats)
3/4 tsp. of baking powder
1/4 tsp. of salt
1/4 tsp. of ground cinnamon
1/3 cup of miniature semisweet chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli)

DIRECTIONS:
Generously grease a baking sheet with butter or cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix together the pumpkin, pure maple syrup,  egg(s), heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract. Melt the butter in a microwave, let it cool for several seconds, and then stir it in to the mixture. In a smallish bowl, sift together the oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to the liquid mixture and mix to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop up about 3/4 Tbsp. of dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches in between each mound of dough. Put in oven and bake for 13 - 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Eat immediately or store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge.

Recipe Makes approximately one dozen cookies.

Healthy AND Delicious Fudge - no butter or refined sugar!

For some reason I always seem to crave healthier foods during the summer months. I would say that I eat best in the month of July out of all the other months in the year. I am far from being vegan (I absolutely LOVE all things dairy), but when it comes to sweet treats, I always seem to want to try out vegan or healthier desserts during the summer months.

This vegan fudge has an amazingly smooth texture from the coconut oil, and the cashew butter and cacao powder give it an incredibly rich taste. It is sweetened with some pure maple syrup, which is much better than refined sugar. You can't tell at all that this fudge is not made with the typical ingredients of butter and refined sugar. The one thing you do have to remember about vegan desserts (and this vegan fudge) is that even though they are healthier, they are still loaded with calories. However, they are not "empty" calories, since cashews have tons of health benefits, natural cocoa powder is high in fiber, and maple syrup has awesome things in it like calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, and manganese. One piece has approximately 75 calories, and it is easy to snack on it all day long, so be careful with it! I was told by a few people that if I had not told them what it was made with, that they would have never guessed the ingredients. So if you do make it, make sure to tell people what it has in it in case someone has a nut allergy! I hope you enjoy this fudge as much as I do.

Recipe for Healthy AND Delicious Fudge - no butter or refined sugar!

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups of raw cashews*
1/3 cup plus 1 tsp. of coconut oil, divided (at room temperature)
2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract, divided
1/2 tsp. of coarse sea salt, divided
1/4 cup of cacao powder (I use Viva Labs cacao powder)
1/4 cup of pure maple syrup

*If you want, you can use 1 cup of store-bought cashew butter in this recipe. I recommend making your own cashew butter, though. If you use store-bought cashew butter, omit the cashews, 1 tsp. of coconut oil, 1 tsp. of vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp. of sea salt from the recipe. 

DIRECTIONS:
Make the cashew butter first. Put the 2 1/4 cups of cashews, 1 tsp. of coconut oil, 1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp. of sea salt into the bowl of a food processor. Start the food processor and allow it to run. It will take several minutes (about 8 to 10 minutes) for the mixture to turn to a cashew butter. You will want to stop the food processor every minute to two to give the processor a break and to scrape the sides, if needed. Add more coconut oil to the mixture as you see desired. When the mixture turns into the cashew butter (it will be thick), remove it from the processor and scoop into a medium-sized bowl. Note: This is a recipe for the cashew butter that is used in this fudge.  If you want smoother cashew butter to use for spreading, you will want to run the processor for much longer and might want to check out other recipes for homemade cashew butter, like the one from The Healthy Foodie.

Add the remaining 1/3 cup of coconut oil to the cashew butter and use an electric hand mixer set on medium-low speed to mix until well combined. Then add in the remaining 1 tsp. of vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp. of sea salt, cocoa powder, and maple syrup. Use the electric hand mixer to mix until the mixture is smooth. Line a freezer-safe container (I used a square SnapLock container - 6" x 6") with parchment paper. Use a spoon or spatula to spread the mixture onto the parchment paper in an even layer. Then cover the container and place in the freezer for at least an hour before cutting into it.  Remove from the freezer and chop into desired sized squares. Store the fudge in the freezer and eat fairly soon after removing it from the freezer, because it becomes soft quickly from the coconut oil.

Recipe Makes Approximately 30 pieces of fudge, depending on how you cut it. Approximately 75 calories per piece (if you cut into 30 pieces)! Store in the freezer.

Recipe Adapted from: The Detoxinista, Originally from Raw Food, Real World

One Dozen Brownie Cookies

My friend posted the link to this recipe on Facebook the other day, with the caption "making these tonight." However, when I followed up with her several days later, she still hadn't made them! I decided that I needed to try the recipe for myself. Greg was out shooting an event, and Wendy was down for a nap, and I got the urge to bake! I knew I didn't need 3 dozen cookies though, so I decided to cut the recipe into a third to make only a dozen cookies. It probably is a good thing that I didn't make the 3 dozen, because the cookies I did make went really, really fast between me and Greg. When I first took the cookies out of the oven, a little piece broke off and I took a bite. I wasn't impressed, and I let my friend on Facebook know. But then after they cooled completely, I dusted them with the powdered sugar, took another bite, and had to eat my words (and the rest of that cookie). The texture of these brownie cookies are soft and chewy and crunchy and gooey all at the same time. They have just the right amount of chocolate in them and just the right amount of sweet. I suggest you make these cookies as soon as you can. Enjoy!

Recipe for One Dozen Brownie Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 ounce of bittersweet baking chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)
5 1/2 Tbsp. of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. of sugar
1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. of cocoa powder
3/8 tsp. of baking powder (use a 1/8 tsp. to measure each, scantily filled)
1/8 tsp. of salt
Powdered sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a baking sheet with a pat of butter.

Put the baking chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and heat on high in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Remove the chocolate from the microwave and stir. If not fully melted, heat for another 10 - 20 seconds. Once melted, set aside to cool.

Put the softened butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer set on medium high speed to mix until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Then slowly add in the cooled chocolate and mix on low. Then add in the vanilla extract and egg and mix again on low.

Put the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl and stir. Pour half of the flour mixture into the wet mixture and use the electric hand mixer to beat on low speed until combined. Then add in the rest of it and beat again on low until combined.

Use a one tablespoon cookie dough scoop to scoop up batter and place on prepared baking pan. Bake for 11 minutes. Remove from oven, let the cookies sit on the pan for 2 minutes, and then use a spatula to gently transfer them to a baking rack so they can cool completely. Once cooled, sprinkle with desired amount of powdered sugar.

Recipe makes approximately 1 dozen cookies. They taste best when cooled. Store in an airtight container on the kitchen counter.

Recipe Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (way better than Reese's)!

I created something in my kitchen the other day that was truly amazing. A friend of mine was celebrating a birthday, and I remembered that she had said that Reese's peanut butter cups were her favorite candy. I found this homemade peanut butter cup recipe online, and I didn't think that I had everything i needed to make them. I almost decided to make peanut butter whoopie pies instead, but then at the last second I realized I had what I needed to make these adorable little treats! They were incredibly easy to make, and they tasted way better than I had even imagined that they would. I put some in a cellophane baggie, tied it with a cute ribbon, and delivered my gift. I also left quite a few of the peanut butter cups at home, but I only got to eat about two of them. My husband has been back at work on the home renovations with my dad, and they ate the peanut butter cups during their work breaks! They told me that they were way better than Reese's and that they were really, really good. I think you will probably agree. Enjoy!

Recipe for Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (way better than Reese's)!

INGREDIENTS:

For the peanut butter filling
1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1/3 cup of confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
1/8 tsp. of salt

For the chocolate coating
1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup of bittersweet chocolate chips
6 ounces of coarsely chopped milk chocolate
1 1/2 Tbsp. of creamy peanut butter

DIRECTIONS:
Line mini muffin pans with paper liners. Use a small pat of unsalted butter and your fingers to lightly butter the bottoms and sides of the liners. 

Put the peanut butter and softened butter into a bowl. Use a hand mixer set on medium speed to combine. Then add in the confectioners' sugar and salt and mix on medium speed until well incorporated. Taste, and add in more sugar or salt to desired taste. Set aside.

Put the semisweet chocolate chips, bittersweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate, and peanut butter into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on medium power for about a minute, then stir. Continue microwaving for about one minute at a time and stirring until the chocolate is smooth.

Using a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture into the bottom of each liner. Then use a half teaspoon and drop about 1/2 teaspoon to 3/4 teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture on top of the chocolate. Then top the peanut butter with another teaspoon or so of the chocolate. Add on decorative sprinkles, if desired. Place them in the fridge until they are set, about 2 hours.

Enjoy them right out of the fridge for more of a crunch, or at room temperature for a more smooth texture. Delicious either way!

Recipe Adapted from: Taste of Home

Makes approximately 2 dozen peanut butter cups.

Creamy Nutella Pie

World Nutella Day occurred last week! Did you know that such a day even existed? It seems like there are days to celebrate anything and everything, so of course Nutella would be on the list. February 5th was declared World Nutella Day and Nutella lovers united! I have to be honest, I think that every day should be World Nutella Day. I want you to know that if you missed it last week, it is definitely not too late to celebrate! I made this delicious pie made with an oatmeal crust and a filling of Nutella, whipped cream, and mascarpone. Yum yum yum yum - you know you want some. So go ahead, open up a jar of Nutella and make some Creamy Nutella pie. Enjoy!

*For less prep work, you can use a pre-made crust if you want. I made an oatmeal crust but a graham cracker crust would work well here too. You and I both know it is really all about the filling.

Recipe for Creamy Nutella Pie

For the crust
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup of quick oats (Quick oats are finer than rolled oats so you won't need the food processor)
5 Tbsp. of light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
8 Tbsp. of butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the rolled oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and salt into a mixing bowl and then pour the melted butter over. Then use your hands to gently incorporate all the ingredients and form into a ball. Press the mixture down onto a buttered glass pie pan so that the bottom is covered evenly and then use your hands to push the mixture up onto the sides so an edge is formed.  Put it in the oven and bake for 9 - 11 minutes. Remove from oven, place on wire rack, and let it cool completely. You don't want the crust to get too hard; so watch it carefully as it cooks. If any of it comes down from the edges while it cooks, you can push up after it cools a little.

For the Creamy Nutella Filling
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of Nutella
1 Tbsp. of granulated sugar
7 ounces (about 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp.) of Mascarpone cheese
 1 cup of heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:
Put the Nutella, sugar, Mascarpone and heavy whipping cream into a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer set on medium speed to mix until ingredients are well incorporated. Then increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Then spoon the filling into the cooled pie crust. Put the pie in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set before serving. Serve chilled.

For serving: Top pie with fresh whipped cream and grated dark chocolate. 

Pie crust adapted from: Show Food Chef
Nutella filling inspired by: A Cup of Joe, originally by Alania Pouliot of Fabtastic Eats

Read about some handy dandy Nutella facts here! 

Dark Chocolate Ginger Truffles

Please visit my new blog, Make It and Bake It with Beth, for the dark chocolate ginger truffles recipe. 

Nutella Cupcakes with Creamy Nutella Frosting & Nutella Ganache

Remember how just the other day I said I really wasn't craving things like cake these days, and that I was totally cool with healthy sweet fixes? Well, it's still true, but I certainly enjoyed these cupcakes after making them on Saturday. Our neighborhood had a crab feast/cookout and everyone in the neighborhood got to sign up to bring a dish. I chose a dessert because I figured if I had a hard time getting out the door that it wouldn't matter if I was a little late, and because I think baking is way more fun then preparing a potato salad. I was having a hard time deciding what to make and when I finally decided on cupcakes, I knew they had to be these Nutella ones. I put Nutella in the cupcake itself, in the frosting, AND in the ganache topping. If you're a Nutella fan, this cupcake is definitely for you! I didnt' get a chance to take a picture before the cookout so I was secretly hoping there wouldn't be any left so I had an excuse to make them again, but Greg came back with two of them in hand. They were a hit in my house and a hit with the neighbors, and I definitely might have to make them again very soon! Enjoy.

Recipe for Nutella Cupcakes with Creamy Nutella Frosting & Nutella Ganache

INGREDIENTS:
For the cupcake
2 cups of water

2 cups of unsweetened cocoa powder
2 2/3 cups of flour
4 tsp. of baking powder
1/2 tsp. of salt
2 sticks unsalted butter (16 Tbsp.), softened at room temperature
2 cups of granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup of Nutella
4 eggs

For the frosting
2 sticks unsalted butter (16 Tbsp.), softened at room temperature
1 cup Nutella
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. of heavy whipping cream

For the ganache topping
7 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or 5 ounces chocolate chips - I used Ghiradelli)
2 Tbsp. Nutella
1/2 tsp. of coconut oil


DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Bring the water to a boil and then add in the cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, let rest for a minute, then put in fridge to cool.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the Nutella and vanilla and mix until well incorporated. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Slowly add in the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Remove cocoa mixture from fridge and with the mixer running, add it in a steady stream and beat on low. Scoop batter into cupcake liners (I filled them almost to the top of the liner, but you can fill just 3/4 full if you want). Put in oven and bake for about 16 - 19 minutes (I baked mine for 17:30). Remove from oven and then transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cool.

Once cooled, make the frosting. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Then add in the Nutella and mix until well incorporated. Add in 1 cup of the powdered sugar and mix and then add in the other cup and beat until smooth. Pour in the 3 tablespoons of cream and beat until well incorporated. Frost the cupcakes.

Once cupcakes are frosted, make the ganache topping. Put the chocolate or chocolate chips into a bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. While the cream is heating, put the Nutella and coconut oil in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Then stir, and microwave for another 30 seconds. Continue as needed until the mixture is thin and pourable. Once the cream comes to a very slight boil and is hot to the touch, pour it over the chocolate or chocolate chips. Stir until smooth and creamy and then add in the Nutella mixture and stir. Use a spoon or fork to put over the frosting in a fun design or just globs, it still will taste the same! Put cupcakes in fridge so the ganache topping can harden before serving.

Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge. They taste amazing the first day they are made and pretty amazing the second day too. Store in fridge for up to 5 days.

Recipe makes approximately 22 cupcakes. You should have enough frosting for all the cupcakes - unless you like TONS of frosting - then you might want to double the frosting recipe!

Recipe Adapted from: Sally's Baking Addiction 

Honey and Hemp Milk Chocolate Truffles

I have found a new addiction. I'm addicted to hemp seeds. I saw a post about them on a blog recently and then just a few days later I saw them in an aisle at The Fresh Market in Annapolis. So I bought a bag. I first tried them straight and loved them. Then I put them on cereal for breakfast, yogurt for lunch, and inside chocolate for dessert. These honey and hemp truffles are pretty awesome. I fell in love with them from the start. When I told my friends and family what was in them they scoffed but once they had one they kept coming back for more. You know what's great about these truffles? Not only do they taste delicious, they are also super healthy. Hemp hearts are full of Omega 3s, amino acids, and other great stuff that is totally good for your mind and body. You can make these truffles vegan by using vegan chocolate or skipping the freezing part and rolling them in cocoa powder or flaked coconut. The texture of the truffle filling is so smooth and creamy and the honey and chocolate compliment each other oh so well. Enjoy!

Recipe for Honey and Hemp Milk Chocolate Truffles

INGREDIENTS:
4 Tbsp. of hemp hearts
2 Tbsp. of coconut oil
2 Tbsp. of wildflower honey
2 - 3 ounces milk chocolate baking chocolate for coating
Extra hemp hearts for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Put the hemp seeds, coconut oil, and honey into a small bowl and use a spoon to mix well. Cover the bowl and put into the fridge for at least 2 hours. Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop up and use your hands to shape into about 1/2 to 3/4-inch balls and place in a parchment lined container. Cover the container and put into the freezer for at least 2 hours.

Break up the chocolate into small chunks and place into a small saucepan. Set the heat on medium-low and stir constantly until melted. Then drop a honey and hemp ball into the chocolate, use a spoon to coat, and place on a foil lined tray or plate. Sprinkle some hemp seeds on top of the chocolate if desired. Continue until all the honey and hemp balls are coated. Put in fridge to set and then store in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve chilled.

Recipe makes about one dozen truffles. 

*Original recipe

Blueberry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate

A couple days ago I received a message from Facebook letting me know that fans of my Bake It and Make It With Beth page wanted to hear from me. I'm sorry to all the people (and I know there are so many of you) I have disappointed by not posting in so long, and I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me! The email from Facebook made me realized that it had been 3 weeks since I had posted a new recipe on the blog. Wow, time sure flies.

Things have been busy as usual. I started two summer classes in early June, little Wendy is taking less naps during the day, and the home renovations are still a work in progress. Wendy is so much fun these days. She is laughing up a storm and talking a lot, and I wish I knew what she was saying! Greg is convinced that she was saying "I love you" to us the other night. I'm pretty sure she was saying "oooh oooh ahh," but I pretended that I believed she was saying it too, just to humor him.

Even though I haven't posted in awhile,  I am still doing lots of cooking. I've been cooking a lot of my old favorites and a couple of new things too. This ice cream is a new favorite in our house. I made it for the first time when Greg's parents came to visit in May. I've made it a couple times since then and I will most likely make it again very soon. Since blueberries are in season they taste wonderful and they aren't too expensive. You'll love the sweetness of the blueberry and the richness of the dark chocolate in this delicious summer-time treat. Enjoy!

Recipe for Blueberry Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate 

INGREDIENTS:
4 ounce bar of semisweet chocolate, such as Ghirardelli
1 pint of fresh blueberries
1 cup plus 1 Tbsp. of granulated sugar
1/16 tsp. of salt
1 1/4 cup of whole milk
1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
Break the chocolate up into squares and put into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until chocolate is chopped into desired sized pieces (not too finely so that it is a powder, but not too chunky). Put chocolate into a sealed container and set aside.

Put the blueberries, sugar, and salt into a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Then reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from heat and allow it to cool for about 30 minutes.
Put the milk and cream into a large metal bowl. Add in the cooled blueberry mixture and stir well. Cover the bowl and put into the fridge for at least 4 hours or put into the freezer for 30 minutes. After chilling, stir the lemon juice into the ice cream mixture. Make the ice cream according to ice cream maker manufacturer directions. Add in the dark chocolate pieces about 5 minutes before the ice cream is done. For soft ice cream, serve immediately. Put into a sealed container and store in the freezer for a couple hours before serving for harder ice cream.

Recipe makes approximately 8 servings. 

Recipe Adapted from: Driscoll's 

Salted Caramel Brownies

Back in January I did a baking day with a few of my friends. While gathering ideas for recipes, salted caramel brownies were one of the things that I considered for our baking day. In the end, the best ever chocolate chocolate chip cookies won, because the recipe made more for sharing. I never did forget about those salted caramel brownies though. One of the friends who joined me on the baking day asked me for dinner this past Sunday and I said I would bring a dessert. I remembered that the brownies also caught her interest, so that's what I decided to bring. I made these on Saturday morning. Sadly, Saturday evening and Sunday morning I wasn't feeling too well and neither was my friend's husband, so we had to reschedule our plans. But I still had all those brownies! I dropped some off to her place and shared with Greg and my parents. My parents thought they were the best brownie they had ever had. Greg, on the other hand, said that the brownies were too sweet. Hmm, last time I checked, brownies are supposed to be SWEET! Does anyone disagree with me and agree with Greg? Yeah, I didn't think so. It's okay if Greg doesn't want to eat the brownies though..because that just means there are more for me and Wendy. I already know that Wendy takes after me - she loves sugar too! I hope you enjoy these sweet fudgy gooey and delicious brownies as much as I do.

*Because these brownies are so fudgy, you can actually cut them into mini bites and they can be served as candies or fudge. But I won't judge you if you eat a big brownie or two or three large brownies either.

Recipe for Salted Caramel Brownies 

INGREDIENTS:
For the salted caramel sauce
1/4 cup water
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. of light corn syrup
1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. of sea salt
1/4 cup of sour cream
For the brownies
1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp. of coarse sea salt
2 Tbsp. of Dutch processed cocoa powder
A couple pinches of instant coffee powder
11 ounces of bittersweet baking chocolate (I used Ghiradelli), coarsely chopped
16 Tbsp. of unsalted butter, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of light brown sugar, packed firmly
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
For topping
Sea salt and coarse sugar

DIRECTIONS:
For the caramel sauce
Put the water, sugar, and corn syrup into a saucepan and set it over medium high heat. Stir almost constantly and cook until it becomes a deep amber color or reaches 330 degrees on a candy thermometer. This will take about 15 - 20 minutes. Be careful not to let the mixture burn!

Then remove the saucepan from the heat. Put the cream in a microwave safe liquid measuring cup and heat for 45 seconds. Then slowly pour some cream down the side of the saucepan and whisk constantly, then continue to add more until all of the cream is incorporated (the mixture will steam and bubble up during this process). Then add in the sea salt and sour cream and mix well. Set the caramel sauce aside to cool.

For the brownies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper. Put the flour, sea salt, cocoa powder, and coffee powder into a smallish bowl and sift together. Put the chopped chocolate and cut butter into a large saucepan and set over low heat. Gently stir until the butter and chocolate are melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add in the granulated sugar and light brown sugar to the chocolate mixture and use an electric hand mixer set on medium speed to fully incorporate. Then add in the eggs and mix well. Stir in the vanilla extract. Then pour in the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Carefully spread half of the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Smooth down with a spatula. Then pour the caramel sauce over the top of the batter into an even layer. Top the caramel sauce off with the rest of the brownie batter, making sure to carefully smooth over the caramel and fully covering it. Put into the oven and bake for 30 - 35 minutes, making sure to rotate the pan halfway through the baking process. Remove brownies from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, sprinkle the sea salt and coarse sugar over the brownies (about 1/2 - 1 tsp.). Cover the brownies and put them into the fridge before cutting. This helps to make them extra fudgy!

Recipe makes about 2 dozen regular-sized brownies and makes about 60 small bites.

Recipe Source: Pink Parsley, originally from Baked Explorations 

Dark Chocolate Coconut Muffins

I just realized I have been posting  a lot of sweets lately, especially sweets that are loaded with chocolate (dark chocolate raspberry truffles and granola chocolate chip cookies). Maybe it's time for me to go on another 5 day sugar withdrawal challenge, because once again I am definitely craving sugar/chocolate. It must be because I am really stressed out over my house being a disaster zone, Greg not having a full-time job, and the arrival of Wendy at the end of next month. I'm so excited to be a mother, but I also feel completely overwhelmed. So, what do I do? I eat chocolate! Isn't that what any other normal woman would do? Yeah, that's what I thought.

I made these chocolate coconut muffins yesterday morning. I came across a delicious looking muffin recipe on Facebook, but it called for cocoa powder - and I'm out. So I went with another recipe I found that used dark baking chocolate. At first when I had a bite I wasn't sold on them - but once they cooled a little more I thoroughly enjoyed them. My parents and Greg loved them and I hope you do too. Enjoy!

Recipe for Dark Chocolate Coconut Muffins 

INGREDIENTS:
7 ounces of dark baking chocolate (60 - 70% cocoa)
1 stick (8 Tbsp.) of unsalted butter
2 cups of all-purpose flour
2/3 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. of salt
1 3/4 tsp. of baking powder
1 tsp. of pure chocolate extract (or pure vanilla extract)
2 eggs
2/3 cup of 2% milk
1 Tbsp. of heavy cream (optional)
2/3 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Put the butter and chopped chocolate into a small to medium sized saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir frequently until the butter and chocolate are completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Then add in the chocolate (or vanilla) extract, eggs, milk, and cream. Whisk together until well incorporated. Then stir in the melted chocolate and butter mixture and stir until smooth and chocolate is evenly mixed into the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips and coconut. Scoop the batter into the paper liners and fill. Put the muffins into the oven and cook for 16 - 19 minutes. Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Put any muffins that are not eaten into an airtight container and store at room temperature or in the fridge.

Recipe Adapted from: Baking Bites

Granola Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies were inspired after making a batch of homemade granola. I was craving cookies (and baking), and I wanted to make something that was filled with ingredients that are also somewhat healthy. In the granola I had made, I used natural coconut, dried cranberries, raisins, and rolled oats. I thought that those ingredients would taste great in a chocolate chip cookie - and I was right! I enjoyed eating some for lunch a couple days this week, but I left them at home while Greg and my parents were working on the renovations, and they sure went quickly. That's okay though because that just means that I should go ahead and make another couple dozen...right? Enjoy!

Recipe for Granola Chocolate Chip Cookies 

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. of baking soda
1/4 tsp. of salt
3/4 tsp. of ground cinnamon
1 stick of unsalted butter (8 Tbsp.), softened at room temperature
2/3 cup of light brown sugar, packed
3/4 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup of rolled oats, such as Quaker old-fashioned Oats
1/3 cup of raisins
1/3 cup of dried cranberries
1/3 cup of unsweetened flaked coconut
1 cup of better quality milk chocolate chips, such as Ghirardelli 

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric hand mixer set on medium high speed for about 45 seconds. Then add in the brown sugar and continue to beat on medium high speed until fully incorporated and smooth. Add in the vanilla extract and egg and mix well. Pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix on low speed until well combined. Fold in the rolled oats, raisins, dried cranberries, coconut, and chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with a lid or saran wrap and put in the refrigerator for a couple hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Use a cookie dough scoop or spoon to make desired size balls and place onto baking sheets, with about 1-inch space between the dough. Put one baking sheet in the oven and bake for 12 - 13 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies sit for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Place other baking sheet in the oven and bake, remove, and cool. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe makes approximately 2 dozen cookies. 

Recipe adapted from: Crunchy Creamy Sweet

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

Please visit my new blog, Make It and Bake It with Beth, for the recipe for Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffles.

Warm Chocolate Pudding Cakes with Whipped Cream & Cacao Nibs

Okay, warm chocolate pudding cakes are seriously one of the best things I have ever tasted in my life. For real. If you are a diehard chocolate lover, you really need to make these.

Maryland was hit with a snowstorm on Tuesday, and even though we only got about 5 - 6 inches, my county school system was shut down for 2 days. And, since I work for the school system, I was off for 2 days. Yippee! It was way too cold to even go outside (single digits during most of those two days and the high was a balmy 14 degrees), so I stayed in and was as lazy as humanly possible. I hung out in sweats, played Scrabble with Greg, updated my Facebook status several times, and went through cookbooks. One of the cookbooks I went through was the Scharrfen Berger "The Essence of Chocolate" cookbook. I came across the recipe for warm chocolate pudding cakes and thought "I NEED to make these!" I ended up making them last night while Greg was out shooting an event. The warm chocolate pudding cakes are rich and chocolatey but not too sweet - and they are the ultimate comfort dessert. So much for my plan of eating healthy! It is really hard to eat healthy when it is so cold outside. Seriously - resolutions to eat healthy should be made in the Spring, not in January. Starting tomorrow though I am challenging myself to not eat sugar for five days (yes, only five days, I set realistic goals for myself). If I don't do this I'm sure my baby will be born addicted to sugar! Healthier posts on the blog will be coming soon. But for now, here is the recipe for these amazingly scrumdiddlyumptious warm chocolate pudding cakes. Enjoy!

Recipe for Warm Chocolate Pudding Cakes with Whipped Cream & Cacao Nibs

INGREDIENTS:
For preparing the ramekins/oven safe bowls
Unsalted butter
Cocoa powder (about 2 tablespoons)
For the pudding cakes
3.5 ounces of 99% unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
4 Tbsp. of unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
2/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. of cornstarch
1/4 tsp. of salt
2 eggs
For topping
1/2 cup - 2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream
Cacao nibs

DIRECTIONS:
Adjust oven so that a rack is in the middle position and then preheat to 325 degrees.

Butter 4 - 5 ramekins or oven safe bowls that hold at least 6 ounces. Dust the bottoms and sides of each one generously with cocoa powder, making sure to tap out the loose excess powder.

Put the heavy whipping cream and cubed butter into a medium-sized pan. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Once it simmers, immediately add in the finely chopped chocolate. Remove from heat and allow it to sit for one minute. Then whisk the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is nice and smooth.

In a large bowl, sift the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together. Add in the eggs and whisk. While whisking, add in the melted chocolate and mix until well incorporated. Place a fine mesh strainer over top a 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Pour the mixture through the strainer. You will get about 3 cups of batter in the measuring cup. Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins/oven safe bowls. Place them onto a baking sheet and put into the oven. Cook for 30 - 35 minutes, or until the tops are puffed up and slightly cracked. Allow to cool for 10 - 15 minutes.

While the pudding cakes are cooling, make the whipped cream. Place 1/2 - 2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream into a metal bowl and use an electric hand mixer set on high speed to mix until stiff peaks form. Top each pudding cake with a couple tablespoons of whipped cream and some cacao nibs.

*These are best when warm. If you save them, cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in fridge. Place in microwave for about 25 - 30 seconds before eating.

-This recipe is EASY to make-

Recipe Source: The Essence of Chocolate, by John Scharrfenberger and Robert Steinberg